The Author, Noah H. Belew

Noah H. Belew

My infantry fighting against the Japanese started early in my life. I became a member of the First Marine Division at age 17. Colonel Lewis B. ‘Chesty’ Puller, was my commanding officer. Chesty was a recipient of five Navy crosses — a Navy Cross is second only to the Medal of Honor. Fighting from island to island in the Pacific for almost three years, I was still only 19 years old at the end of the war. I went on to fight the Communist North Koreans and Chinese in the Korean War. I retired with 20 years of service at age 37.